Twin gate for hoppers



F. B. ALLEN AND M. C. SHERMAN.

TWIN GATE FOR HOYPPERS. AFPLICATLON FILED JULY H1919.

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F. B. ALLENANDM. c. SHERMAN.

TWIN GATE FOR HOPIERS,A

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7, 1919.

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2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- IINVEN'TOIR UIJII'ITN ESSES UNllTEE STATES PATENTFRANK BJLLEN', 0F BEN AVON, AND MAX C. SHERMAN', 0F PHLAD/ELPHEA, 'PENN-'SYLVANXA,. .l-MSSIHXIORS TO BAKER-DUNBAR-ALLEN COMPANY, 01E' CLEVELAND,

03H10, A CORPRATION 0F OHIO.

TWIN GATE FOR HOPIPERS.

To all 'whom t mary concem.'

Be it known that we, FRANK B. ALLEN, a

\ resident of Ben Avon, county of Allegheny,

ldent of Philadelphia, in the county of Phila- `delphia and StateofPenns lvania, have invented a new and useful )mprovement in Twin Gatesfor Hoppers, of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to apparatus for handling loose or granularmaterial and more particularly for storing it and discharging it fromtime to time. rPhe invention is especially adapted for handling ashesfrom boiler or like furnaces, and in the drawings it is illustrated asadapted for that use.

The object ofthe invention is to provide means for storingthe loosematerial and discharging the same from timeto time to transportingdevices and particularly from two storage hoppers located in proximity,with the discharging means so arranged as to occupy a minimum amount ofspace, be easy of operation, tightly seal the storage hoppers, and withthe wearing parts protected from the granular material to prevent rapidWear and clogging.

In the accompanymg drawings Figure lis in part a central verticallongitudinal ysection through and in part a side view of portions of thehoppers, with the gates for closing the same; Fig. 2 shows transversevertical sections of different portions thereof; and Figs. 3 and 4respectively plan and sectional views showing another form of gateoperating means.

rlhe hoppers or bins for storing the loose ,or granular material asillustrated are typical of ash hoppers, such as used underneath thegrates of boiler furnaces in large power plants, the same comprisinsuitablermetal casings 2 lined with fire brick or other refractory metal3 to protectthe metal casing from the heat of the ashes, and whichhoppers are supported in any suitable way. The lower end of each hopperis provided with a discharge orifice and with an inwardly projectingflange or ledge 5 for supporting the refractory lining and also with anexternal flange 6. 7 represents a casting or frame Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented Tully t2, 11921.

Application filed July 7, 1919. Serial No. 309,231.

surrounding the discharge opening and`provided with refractory liningand'with external flanges at top and bottom, the former serving to boltthe same to the flanges 6 of the casing 2. Underneath the hopper is aframe 8, in the form of a casting, provided with the discharge opening9, and bolted or otherwise secured to the bottom securing flanges of thecasting 7. rlhis casting is provided on opposite sides of the dischargeoriiice With depending webs J11 which at their lower edges are providedwith outwardly projecting anges or ledges 13 which form supports for thetracks or ways for the gate or valve hereinafter described.

rlhe frames 8 at the bottom of both hoppers are located on the samelevel and the .horizontal flanges or ledges 13 ofthe two\ hoppers areconnected by track members 14, which `are shown as sections ofcommercial angle bars having their legs at the end portions split at theangle and one thereof bent downwardlyand the other bent laterally, asshown at 15 and 16, and secured by means of bolts 17 to dependingflanges 18 on the adjacent ends ofthe frames` 8. The flanges or ledges13 are connected at intervals to the upper Harige of the frames 8 by-means of struts 29, to give strength, but for the major portions of thelengths of the ledges 13 the upper surfaces' thereof are open to andaccessible from the outside.

l Each gate or valve comprises a rectangular casting 20 lined withfirebrick or other refractory material 21, and at their ends are providedwith bosses 22 which are provided with openings transverse to the axisof movement of the gates for receiving the inner ends of the wheeljournals 24 which eX- tend outwardly through slots 25 in the webs 11of-the frame 8 and at their outer ends receive the carrying wheels- 26.rlhese journals are fastened in the bosses 22 by means lof a shouldernear their outer ends and a nut 27 on their inner ends and the wheels 2Gare rotatably secured on the journals by means of nuts 28 and cotters asis shown.

These wheels run upon track or lwear members 30 supported on the flangesor ledges 13. The topsurface/ of these track members 30 are in the samehorizontal plane as the top of the connecting track members 14. Thetrack members 30 are separate from the ledges or lianges 13 in orderthat they may be renewed when worn, and also for the purpose ofadjustment; in order to com ensate for any inequalities in the castingof the frame and in o'rder to secure a tight closure of the gate againstthe lower face of the frame surrounding the discharge orifice. To thisend said track members are supported by shims 31 by means of which saidtrack members can be-built up to any desired height and portions thereofare also vertically adjustable by means of set screws 32 extending upthrough threaded openings in the lianges 13. Counter-sunk bolts 33 serveto hold the tracks in position. bring the .j track members 14 into exactlevel with the tracks 30 the holes for the bolts 18 aresomewhatelongated, as shown in Fig. 2, thus permitting said track members to beadusted vertically.

he gates are arranged to make a tight seal with the lower face of theframe 8 and the ends of the frame 8 at the side of the discharge orificeare provided with flat faces 34 slightly inclined from one end to theother and which are adapted to be contacted by the flat upper faces 35on the sides of the gates,so that as the gates move to nal closedposition the faces 34 and 35 come together with a wedgin action. If whenoing to closed position 1t should be found t at one or more of therollers 26 is not in contact with its track, the proper screw 32 isturned upwardly until'contact is secured,

and the tracks are thensleft in that position which will insure thegates maln'ng a tight closurepwith the discharge orifice,

These gates can be reciprocated b any suitable mechanism. As shown inigs. l and 2 each gate has bolted to its lower face along its centrallylongitudinal axis, a rack bar 36 engaged by a pinion 37 on thetransverse shaft 38 lmounted in bearings 39 secured by means of tapbolts 40, or the like, to the bottom faces of the flanges 13 on theframe 8 near the adjacent ends of said.

* frames. The shafts 38 can be driven by anyl suitable reversingmechanism not .necessary to show. l

Figs. 3 and 4-shcw afmodiied means for alternately reciprocating thegates. This means comprises a power cylinder 42 which is supportedunderneath and centrally be\ tween the two hoppers, such as suspendingthe same from a member 43 bolted to the connecting track members 14.This cylin-.f

'. der is provided with two pistons 44 and 44* connected respectively bypiston rods 45 and.' 45* to. arms 46 and 46 projecting downwardly fromthe outer ends ofthe gates. Fluid pressure connections 47 and 48 and 47t and 48 are made to each end of the cylinder 42, and brought tofour-way valves 49`and 49, 'which valves will be located at anconvenient place for manual and indepen closed,.in which position thetwo pistons 44 and 44a are at the opposite ends of the cylinder 42. Byadmittlng fluid pressure bef tween either piston and its cylinder head,through the 'connection 47 or 47,- the particular gate to which thatpiston is connected will be moved onto the connecting track members 14,and by admitting fluid pressure into the cylinder near its opposite endthrough the same four-wayvalve, through the connection 48 or 48a, thepiston will be moved in the opposite direction and close the gate. fSince each piston can be moved independently of the other, it ispossible to open either gate at will, but only one gate at a time.

Preferably the inlet pipes 47, 47a at each end of the cylinder have twobranches, as shown, with a check valve 53 in the branch opening'- intothe cylinder nearest its end, that air may be trapped in the end of thecylinder to'prevent the piston from ham- -mering against the cylinderhead when closing the gate. n the operation of the twin arrangementlllustrated the gates' will be opened one at a time by rotating theproper shaft 38, of Fig.

its shaft 38, or actuating its piston, alsol vent operation. Fig. 4shows both gates v rolling it out upon the connecting track members 14.Consequentlx7 the members 14 serve as track extensions for the flangesor ledges 13`of both hoppers, with a consequent reduction of spaceand areduction inl the los amount of metal necessary, and forming a morecompact mechanism.

The construction is such that the rollers 26 are .accessible from theoutside, therefore being easy to inspect, lubricate, and repair ifnecessary. These rollers and the wear members-on which they run arelargely rotected fromthe material being handle as little or none of itwill nd its way through the slots 25 through which the wheel journalmembers project. The wear members on which the rollers run areadjustable to secure a tight closure of the gates and to compensate forwear, and furthermore can be readily renewed in case of excessive wear.

We claim: J

1. Apparatus of the character described, in combination with a pair ofadjacent hoppers havmg bottom discharge o enings, of horizontal ways atopposite si es of said discharge. openings, track members connecting thehorizontal ways ofi-the two hoppers,

maarre a horizontally movable gate for each of said hoppers supported onsaid ways, and means for moving said gates in opposite directions,whereby each of. said gates in openng moves onto said connecting trackmemers.

2. Apparatus of the character described, in combination with a pair ofadjacent hoppers each having a bottom discharge opening, of horizontalways at opposite sides of said discharge openings, intermediateconnecting track members in line with said ways, a horizontally movablegate for each hopper provided with laterally extending means includingrollers traveling on said ways, and means for moving said gates inopposite directions, whereby each of said gates in opening moves ontothe connecting track members.

3. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a pair of adjacenthoppers each provided with a bottom discharge opening, ways at oppositesides of each discharge opening, horizontally movable gates providedwith laterally projecting journals, rollers on the outer ends of saidjournals, vertically adjustable wear members on said ways and on whichsaid rollers travel, connecting track members secured to the adjacentends or the ways of the two hoppers by means permitting vverticaladjustmentl thereof and means for moving said gates in oppositedirections, whereby each of said gates in opening moves onto saidconnecting track members.

A. Apparatus of the character described, in combination with a hopperhaving a bottom discharge opening, of stationary frame members providedon opposite sides of the discharge opening with bottom seating faces,said frame members being provided outside of said seating faces withdepending webs provided with longitudinal slots and withA FRANK B.ALLEN. MAX c. SHERMAN.

Witness as to F rank B. Allen: ,f lEmzABErIHf C. Rrrz. Witness as to MaxC. Sherman:

dos. W. MILLS.

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